The Thinking Habits of Inclusive Teams

It’s not just about ticking boxes of inclusivity. It’s about leading by example and actively choosing to prioritize DEI strategies.

Implicit biases develop over the course of an individual’s lifetime, and so working to eliminate such biases requires intentional efforts to unlearn. Debiasing techniques are effective and manageable, but they need to be ongoing. A seminar or keynote speaker won’t make your biases disappear.

Here are three thinking habits you can start practicing daily at work:

1. Be empathetic. Taking the time to understand your coworkers on a deeper, more personal level will help you challenge the unconscious biases you may already hold about them. One great way to start is to schedule regular check-ins with your team about successes and challenges, both personally and professionally.
2. Anticipate bias. Being able to recognize different forms of bias will help you flag your own discriminatory behaviour so you can avoid making the same mistakes in the future. A few different forms of bias to keep an eye out for include harmful stereotypes and microaggressions.
3. Be willing to keep learning. By actively participating in and staying engaged with anti-discriminatory work, you’ll continue to grow your understanding of new ways of thinking.

We all carry biases, whether implicit or not. By working to address yours and your team’s often, you will be able to make inclusivity part of your daily routine.